Light signal



May 11 ,1926.

1,584,541 5. P. HULL LIGHT S IGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1924 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 11 1926. 1,584,541

5. P. HULL LIGHT SIGNAL Filed Dec. 5 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11, 1926 Ul'l' SAT SAMUEL r. HULL, or new YORK, n. Y.

LIGHT SIGNAL.

Application filed December This invention relates to light signals such as are used for controlling railway trattic and has for an object to provide'an adjustable support for light signal whereby the beam of light from the signal may be directed in any predetermined direction. These and other objects of the invention will be more -tullv understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which, F 1 is a rear end elevation of a signal unit en'ibodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a detail 02 the construction in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a signal unit corresponding to Fig. 1, Fig. i is a side elevation, partly in section showing the internal construction of the signal unit, Fig. 5 is a detail used in -l-, Fig. 6 shows a two unit light signal, Fig. 7 is a detail of the mast and clamp for supporting the signal and Fig. 8 is an alternative de tail in the construction of l.

The present invention is embodied mainly in a light signal unit having a cylindrical housing and a transverse projecting bracket by which the housing is supported. This bracket, in turn, is supported by a fixed arm adjustably secured to the signal mast. The connections between the bracket and the fixed arm are so arranged that the direction or" the beam otlight from the signal can be adjusted over a coi'nparatively wide area, the bracket is of universal application, can be applied to an arm extending from the right or left and can be applied to plate support instead of an arm. Associated with this bracket is a sighting arrangement whereby the signal housing may be sighted to direct its light in any predetermined direction.

Referring to the drawings, 11 is the bracket which has formed integral therewith the flanges 12 and 13 which are secured to the cylindrical housing 14 of the light signal unit. These flanges hold the racket member 11 in avertical transverse ridge on the cylindrical housing as shown. The housing is provided with a hood 15 for shielding the lens 16 from the direct rays of the sun. A circular door 17 at the rear is secured to the hinge 19 by the bolt 20 as indicated in Fig. 2 and closes against the gasket 18, Fig. 4.

The fixed arm 21 is adjustably secured to the signal mast 35 as indicated by Figs. 6 and 7, by the U bolt 36 and filler 37 where- 5, 1924. Serial No. 754,214.

by this arm may be located at any position on the mast. g

Thefixed arm 21 in Fig. 1 is tapered off to a narrow end as indicated by the dotted line 22 so as to clear the housing and the flanges of the bracket. The vertical ridge oi thebracket 11 is secured to the arm 21 by bolts 23, 2d and 26 and is spaced from the. arm by the studs 25 and 27, the studs working against the bolts to make a rigid connection. It will be noted that bolts 23 and 26 are on the vertical plane with stud 27 between them; also that bolts 23 and 2 1 are on the horizontal plane with stud 25 between them. It is apparent that tightening stud 2? applies tension to bolts 23 and 26 and tightening stud 25 applies tension to bolts 23 and 21, thus bolt 23 is tightened by either oi the studs and is common to the vertical and. horizontal planes above referred to.

This construction is such as to produce the equivalent of turning the lamp housing about a vertical and about a horizontal hinge. For instance, with the bolt 23 fixed so that it may be used as a pivot, then by adjusting bolts 26 and stud 27, the housing will move about the horizontal hinge delined by 23, 24 and 25. On the other hand, by adjusting 21 and 25 the housing will move about the vertical hinge defined by 26 and 2'? and by 23. The signal housing is thus moved about two planes at right angles to each other with a micrometer adjustnt and by the combination of a proper tioUStlllOlll) in each plane the desireddirection of the light beam is obtained. It will be noted that bolt 23 becomes a common pivot and may be provided w'th a spacer to secure a fixed spacing between 11 and 21, this spacer, however, is not shown in Fig. 3.

The bracket 11 is provided with holes 28 and 29 at the left side corresponding to the position of bolts 26 and 27 with the objectoi securing the bracket to a fixed arm from the left. The bracket is thus symmetrical about the axis of the cylindrical housing and is adaptable for right or left supporting arms. It will be noted that arm 21 is provided with projections abut-ting on the nuts to prevent the nuts from turning as the bolts are adjusted. The preferable construction for the studs, as shown at 25, Fig. 3, is to thread the stud through a nut which is engaged by a ridge on 11 to prevent it from turning, this avoids tapping the part 11 and if a nut becoines rusted on the stud the head can be sawn off the stud without destroying the bracket.

The housing is provided with a suitable source of light such as the bulb 31 adjustably supported by the base 32 as fully described in application for U. S. Patent Serial No. 723,523, filed July 1 192i. The base 82 rests upon the circular filler 38 shown at c and (Z Fig. 5. This forms a level supporti'or 32 and reinforces the housing.

an alternative construction to is shown in Fig. 8 in which the principles of the bracket 11 are used to adjust the light 31. The screws 61, 62 and 63 supporting the base 32 are in tension against the studs Get and (35. By adjusting (l3 and 65 it is ap parent that the bulb will be turned about 61 and 62, and by adjusting 62 and 6 lthe bulb will be turned about 61 and 63 as a hinge thereby adjusting the bulb to the focal centre 01 the lens.

In Fig. 6 a pair of light signal units are supported by the plate ll which forms a back-ground for the signals 311( $3. The signal units are secured to the plate 4-1 by brackets ll similar to the n'ianner in which they are secured to the arm 21. in this construction each signal unit is individually adjustable and they are placed on comparatively close centres which is a matter of importance when a number of units are u d.

A sighting device 51 is attached to bracket 11 by the screws 55 engaging a raised ridge on flange 13. The device 51 has a sight hole 52 which is adjustably positioned by the screws The sight hole 52 aligns with the opening 53 in bracket 11 and with the opening at in arm 21, the line of sight being indicated by ab. This line is parallel with the axis of the signal and is used to align the housing to project the beam of light in a predeterminec direction along the track. lYhen this position has been found the adjustments between the bracket 11 and its support is permanently secured and when the source 01' light is in focus with the lens a powerful indication is obtained in the direction desired.

The bracket which embodies the present invention is comparatively inexpensive and is secured to the signal housing in the shop to be applied to the various conditions to he .1 met with on railroad.

Haring thus described my claim:

1. In a light signal the combination of a cylindrical housing with a lens and a source of light and an adjustable support for said housing said support comprising a tical ridge secured to said housing at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof and a supporting member, said ridge secured to said member by two bolts and by two studs acting against each other.

in light signal, the combination of a U indrical housing with a lens and a source of light and an adjustable for said housing, said support comp an arch shaped vertical ridge 5' aired t1 versely to said housing and a supporting member, said ridge s cured to said member at two points in a vertical plane and at two 7:. points in a horizontal plane, one of said points being common to said vertical and horizontal planes.

Signed at I'Jew York in the COU'H" of New York and State of New York this Lilth day of November A. D. 1922.

SAMUEL P. HULL.

inve;ition i 

